Jones in San Francisco, California by nottoscale

Jones is a restaurant/lounge/club in the heart of downtownSan Franciscolocated in the historic Gaylord building on Geary and Jones. The space consists of a 5,000sf interior that opens up to a 7,000 sf patio that in turn is the roof of a 1 storey parking garage facingGeary Street. Based on a complex layout of existing columns and foundations the interior is arranged on different levels, creating spatial separations while maintaining the openness of the club. The interior space houses two large bars, a full kitchen in the back of house area, a dining area with a view of the patio, lounge areas throughout and a very unique large unisex bathroom.

The exterior patio is accessed by ramps from both Jones and Geary and is framed and structured by planters and a pavilion that houses a third bar. Trellises on both structures create a transition area between the in and outside while an elevated area overlooks and connects withGeary Street.

The design took clues from the existing building materials and ornaments such as the existing wrought iron gate at the entry of the Gaylord Hotel and reinterpreted them in a modern way. Other design aspects such as the board-formed concrete and the ceiling pattern are repeated in various other applications, giving the entire space a cohesive and flowing atmosphere. All aspects of the project such as the light fixtures, millwork, furniture and the metalwork such as the gates and guardrails have been custom designed by nottoscale.

Nottoscale is a San Franciscobased collaborative office for architecture, interiors and design, that was founded in 2002 by Peter Strzebniok. The practice merges a distinctively European aesthetic with innovative sustainable design solutions, the exploration of spatial relationships and a new look at materiality in order to create unique design solutions. Nottoscale’s body of work includes the design and construction of projects ranging from residential architecture to commercial interior design including retail, office space, restaurants and bars in Californiaand the larger United States.

Peter Strzebniok is originally from Germany and has been living in the United States since 1994. He has architectural degrees from Germany and the U.S. and is a licensed architect both in California and Berlin, Germany. Peter has more than 14 years of professional experience with a broad range of projects ranging from large-scale civic buildings, universities and museums to restaurants, residential and small-scale commercial spaces. Peter has worked on several significant design projects such as the Student Center at the Illinois Institute of Technology by OMA, the Jewish Museum in San Francisco by Daniel Libeskind, and the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco by Renzo Piano Building Workshop.

Nottoscale’s work is rooted in an exploration and generation of a modern vocabulary that is informed by program, process, the innovative use of material and an emphasis on spatial relationships. The studio uses the analysis and integration of given constraints – like site conditions, technical as well as material properties, economic limits and program – as an opportunity for creativity, emphasizing the unique character of each project.

The work of nottoscale is included in Prefab Modern (Jill Herbers), The Home House Project (David J. Brown(, Modular Homes (Martin Nicholas Kunz) and Cidade Errante (Marta Bogea) and has appeared in numerous international publications including The New York Times, Wallpaper, Ottagono, Architectural Record, Corriere della Serra, Globe and Mail, KCA9.

Nottoscale was a finalist in the Home House Project Competition by the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art, North Carolina and was included in several exhibitions including “The Home House Project” Exhibit at SECCA, El Paso Museum of Art, Weisman Museum in Minneapolis, Museum of Design in Atlanta, “Affordable Housing – Designing an American Asset” at the National Building Museum, Washington DC and the “Made Modular” Exhibit at the American Institute of Architects, San Francisco.